What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

kat51415 7/19/2012, 1:13 am

Looks like a watermelon but vine, seeds, smells like a cucumber. At this stage of growth, it has a bitter taste. Anybody have a clue? We thought it was an heirloom cucumber left over from last year's garden that decided to sprout and take over the marigolds. Could the bitter taste come from the marigolds? Can watermelons and cucumbers cross? It's a garden mystery!

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Myster10

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Myster10

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Myster11

southern gardener 7/19/2012, 2:08 am

funny!! someone "jumped the fence" LOL! we had some pumpkins crossed with zucchini one year, crazy looking!! I don't know if cucumbers and watermelon can cross, but it looks like they did! keep us updated!

Pollinator 7/19/2012, 8:14 am

[quote="kat51415"]Looks like a watermelon but vine, seeds, smells like a cucumber. At this stage of growth, it has a bitter taste. Anybody have a clue? We thought it was an heirloom cucumber left over from last year's garden that decided to sprout and take over the marigolds. Could the bitter taste come from the marigolds? Can watermelons and cucumbers cross? It's a garden mystery!
/quote]

No and no. As mentioned, pumpkins and zuchinni will cross freely; they are the same species. But not watermelons and cukes.

kat51415 7/19/2012, 8:45 am

Here are some more pics of the mystery plant:

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Myster12

These are the flowers.

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Inside10

This is one of the fruits cut open. Could it be a squash/watermelon cross?

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Myster13

A close up of the fruit before cutting,

**rowena___.** 7/19/2012, 9:21 am

looks like an immature tiger melon to me.

kat51415 7/19/2012, 9:47 am

looks like an immature tiger melon to me.

We haven't planted any Tiger melons ever but I don't know what the former owners had in the garden plot either so I guess it could be anything! Went and looked at images of Tiger melons and it really does look like one. It may be a little more elongated than the images of baby Tigers that I saw, but it is the closest thing so far... Thanks, Rowena!

**Josh** 7/19/2012, 9:49 am

I agree with rowena, I grew tiger melons last year and the vine leaves looks like yours and the little melons looked like that.
Here's a pic of mine last year when they were a little bit bigger than yours.
What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? 8-2-11tigermelon2

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? 8-2-11tigermelon2

After it was mature
What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? Tigermelon3

kat51415 7/19/2012, 9:56 am

I was reading about them. Interesting little melon. We have another one that just showed up right next to one of the SFG boxes. They have climbed tomato cages like crazy and have taken over the marigolds. Very prolific viner! Can't wait to see how they turn out! Thanks for the input, guys. Guess the former owners were into heirlooms also!

Squat_Johnson 7/19/2012, 10:58 am

I have a spaghetti squash that has crossed with a zucchini. I haven't picked it yet, but it is funny looking...

**rowena___.** 7/19/2012, 11:01 am

the first time i saw a tiger melon i fell in love--it smells so sweet they were used in victorian times as room fresheners and some women carried them in their pockets for perfume. ella was littler then, only five years old, and she thought they were giraffe eggs!

SwampCatNana 7/19/2012, 12:23 pm

Squat_Johnson wrote:I have a spaghetti squash that has crossed with a zucchini. I haven't picked it yet, but it is funny looking...

Care to show us what it looks like so far? Wink

kat51415 7/20/2012, 8:33 pm

Honorable only son has found new evidence to support the theory that the mystery vine is, indeed, a tiger melon.

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? New_ev10

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross? New_ev10

Good call, Rowena and Josh! Still wondering where they came from though because we haven't planted any. Stealth melon seeds?

SwampCatNana 7/21/2012, 9:14 pm

Looks like a lemon cuke also.

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What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

More pics of the mystery plant

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

It does look like a baby Tiger melon...

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Josh & Rowena are the best!

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

New evidence!

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?

Re: What the heck is this? Can watermelons and cukes cross?


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